In the past year, the Emergency Medicine Residents’ Association (EMRA) Wellness Committee conducted a survey to determine the state of wellness programs among emergency medicine residencies nationwide. We collected data from program directors to determine the prevalence of wellness initiatives, estimate burnout among residents, and determine factors that contribute to burnout.

Out of the 171 program directors we surveyed, we received 140 responses (a response rate of 81.9 percent).

Among those who responded:

81.4 percent had a wellness program

71.9 percent of program directors estimated fewer than 25 percent of their residents suffer from burnout

16.5 percent estimated burnout rates to be 25 to 50 percent

11.5 percent estimated burnout rates greater than 50 percent

When asked to identify which aspects contribute most to resident burnout:

33.6 percent cited sleep deprivation and day-night switches

16.4 percent cited difficult patient interactions

13.6 percent cited work hours

Regarding specific wellness interventions:

51.4 percent report strong psychological support

45.3 percent have mechanisms to reduce the effects of day-night switches